Samuel davis



(No Model.) 1 2 Shets-Shwt 2.

' S. DAVIS.

I MACHINE FOR WASHING WOOL. 4 No. 362,065. Patented May 3, 1887.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SAMUEL DAVIS, OF LAS VEGAS, TERRITORY OF NEYV MEXICO, ASSIGNOR TO JAMESHARVEY AND MICHAEL BRUGGER, BOTH OF SAME PLACE.

MACHINE FOR WASHING WOOL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 362,065, dated May 3,1887.

Application filed October 20, 1886. Serial No. 216,758.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, SAMUEL DAVIS, acitizen of the United States,residing at Las Vegas, in the county of San Miguel and Territory of NewMexico, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machinesfor \Vashing Wool; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full,clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame.

Myinvention relates to improt ements in washing-machines, particularlythat class of machines designed for washing wool and other similarsubstances; and my said invention consists in certain details ofconstruction and arrangement of the parts composing the same, as and forthe purposes hereinafter more fully described, and pointed out in theclaims.

The object of this invention is to render the operation of washing wooleffectual and easy of accomplishment, and at the same time so simplifythe construction of the parts composing the machine as to bring itwithin the reach of persons of limited means, and yet be of sufficientstrength and durability to prop erly perform its function.

For a better understanding of the details of construction of myinvention reference must now be had to the accompanying drawings, inwhich Figure 1 represents a sectional side elevation of a machine forwashing wool constructed according to my invention; Fig. 2, a similarview taken at right angles to Fig. 1 on the line at x, andFig. 3 a planyiew of the same. Fig. 4 is a view of the removable slatted bottom, andFig. 5 a View illustrating a modification in the form of thelever-lifting mechanism.

Similar letters and figures of reference indicate like parts in theseveral views.

When constructing awool-washing machine according to my invention, Iproceed as follows: Upon a suitable platform, A, is secured the press orbox B, for holding the wool to be cleaned. This press has a closebottom, 0, which rests upon a stout supplemental base, D, which in turnrests upon the platform A. Adjacent the press B, and upon opposite sides(No model.)

thereof, are secured two uprights or standards,

1 2, to form the pivot-bearings for the levers which operate theplunger, as will presently appear.

\Vithin the press, around the bottom thereof,

is arranged beveled cleats c, for supporting the movable slatted falsebottom 0, whose outer edges only rest upon said cleats, as shown inFigs. 1 and 2.

E is the plunger of the press, also formed with a slatted bottom, E,similar to the false bottom 0, and adapted to slide up and down withinthe press. This plunger is secured at its central portion toa shortupright, F, which in turn is pivoted to the outer end of a short lever Jnear the pivot or fulcrum end of said long lever, whereby a compoundleverage of great power is obtained.

As before stated, the false bottom 0 is only supported at its outeredges, so that a space,

as at 3, is formed between said false bottom and the bottom 0 of thepress, and at one side of the said press an opening, as at 4, is formed,which, when the machine is in operation", is closed by a hinged door, K,whereby the passage of the wool to and from the machine is provided for.Before this opening 4 is arranged a fender, L, supported at an angle bya brace, Z, which rests upon the platform A, and the door K is held openby a hook, as at k, and secured when closed by suitable lock. 0

Referring again to the long lever J, Fig. 1, it will be seen that theouter end thereof is formed with an angle, as at j, the under surfaceof'which is curved, as at j, and upon the top of said lever is a rack ortoothed surface, as

at m, for retaining in proper position upon said lever a weight, M, fordepressing said lever.

To raise the lever, the following mechanism is employed:

ICO

N is a crank-shaft whose crank N engages beneath the end j of the leverJ and raises the same. This shaft N carries at one end a gear wheel, 0,which meshes with a larger gearwheel, I, on a shaft, Q, arrangedparallel to and upon the same plane with the shaft N. This shaft Qcarries at one end a hand-crank wheel, R, and at the other end abalancewheel, S, whereby the rotation of the shaft N is effected, andthrough the crank-arm N thereof the lever J is raised. As will beobserved, the mechanism just described is merely to raise the lever. Theproper depression thereof is effected bylits own and the added weight M,so that a regular upward and downward movement of said lever iseffected, and through it the desired reciprocating motion of the plungerE.

T is a rope with suitable blocks secured at one end to the outer end ofthe lever and at the other end to a support above the same, whereby thelever may be raised by hand and suspended when desired.

The operation is as follows: The plunger being first raised to its fullheight, the wool is placed within the machine through opening 4, whichis then closed and its door securely locked. The press is now partiallyfilled with water and the lever operating mechanism started in motion.The crank-arm N, engaging beneath the end of the lever J, raises thesame, and through it the lever G and plunger E. After the crank-arm hasattained thelimit of its stroke and passes beyond the end of the lever Jsaid lever, because of the weight thereof, drops with great pressureupon the mass of wool, tightly compressing the same within a small spaceand ejecting the water therefrom. Upon thelever being again raised thesuction of the plunger causes the water to again circulate through themass of wool and effectually cleanse it. This alternate ebb and flow ofthe water under pressure through the wool quickly removes the dirttherefrom, which settles in the space 3, below the false bottom 0. Whencleaned, the door K is opened, and the wool is removed through theopening 4 and a new charge substituted, and the operation repeated. The,fender L prevents the dropping of the wool upon'the floor when removingthe same from the machine.

By reason of the long lever J, coupled to the short one G, very greatleverage of the compound order is secured, so that the positivecirculation of the cleaning fluid through all parts of the mass of woolis assured, and in addition to this the parts are rendered strong anddurable.

A series of these machines may be arranged to be operated in pairs oftwo, four, six, &c., so that when one set of levers is elevated the nextset will be depressed, and so on, thereby securing uniformity of actionand equal strain upon the lifting-cranks and preventing unequalmovements in the machinery.

In the modification shown in Fig. 5 o is a hand-wheel, upon therevolution of which the large wheel 20 is caused to turn by reason ofthe belt 20, which passes over a pulley, p, on the shaft of said largewheel to. The revolution of this wheel to, through band 20, over apulley, 11 turns the arm y and causes its ends 3/, having rollerbearingstherein, to engage the under surface of lever J, and thereby raise thesame.

Having thus described my invention,whatI claim as new therein, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is as follows,viz:

1. In a machine for washing wool, the box or press B, with closed bottom0, having cleats c, slatted false bottom 0, slatted plunger EE, opening4, door K, and fender L, combined with suitable connection for raisingsaid plunger, for the purposes specified.

2. In amachine for washing wool, the cont bination, with the press B,having opening 4, door K, bottom 0, cleats c, slatted bottom 0, andplunger E E, of the standard F, posts 1 2, short lever G, hangers H I,and long lever J, with suitable mechanism for raising said levers, forthe purposes specified.

3. In a machine for washing wool, in combination with the press B O,plungerE E, short lever G, and long lever J, havinga curved end, j, the.crank-shaft N N, gear-wheel O, shaft Q, gear-wheel P, and wheels R S,all constructed and arranged substantially as and for the purposesdescribed and shown.

SAMUEL DAvIs;

In presence of F. G. DAVIS, EPIFANIO Escunnno.

